Summary:

The Gutierrez Brothers have created a wonderful book here. This book is very unique and the last three issues scratch the surface of the possibility of where they can take this book. This will satisfy readers of horror comic books and admirers of Hip-Hop.

Summary:

The Gutierrez Brothers have created a wonderful book here. This book is very unique and the last three issues scratch the surface of the possibility of where they can take this book. This will satisfy readers of horror comic books and admirers of Hip-Hop.

MORE NEWS FROM THE WEB

Issue #3 marks the third release of the independent comic book Gift Revolver. Where this lands as a unique title is that the creators of the book are brothers. It's Adrian Gutierrez who draws and letters the comics and Steve Guitterez writes up the script. Adrian is also a musician, a rapper to be exact, and he writes the lyrics in each issue the main character recites. So lets jump into this review and see if this independent book deserves some attention.

Gift Revolver #3: When Hip-Hop & Comics Collide

The run down on previous issues.....

A strange creature by the name Born 5th breaks out of the walls of an ancient Egyptian temple. He makes his way to Pasadena, California where he takes the life force and form of a human he encounters. In the wake of Born 5th, we meet the underground rapper and main character, Gift Revolver, who has telekinetic powers, armour and possibly more! Was this all a coincidence?

Review:

Issue #3 of Gift Revolver picks-up the pace in areas where the previous two did not. The art looks more crisp. The writing is more fluid and fun and the plot begins to make itself more clear. This is the best issue of the three so far. The issue begins with a news broadcast to catch readers up, while a playful banter takes place between Gift Revolver and a friend of his by the name of Filth. Steve Gutierrezhas done a great job at creating a connection between readers and characters.

This is all followed by a great narration piece by Steve and well executed art by Adrian. The scene is violent and really begins to set the tone for a great villain. One of the highlights of the issue is the concert scene. As I mentioned before, Gift Revolver follows the main character who is actually a rapper himself, which makes this book so unique. The rhymes Gift recites are album worthy. The action that unravels is wonderful and will have you frantic for the next issue.

Adrian Gutierrez has an interesting art style. It has a clay hand-made look to it that I have never seen before. With each issue his work continues to improve. The tones for the books are dark but full, the colors and shading are what makes Adrian work pop. Where I feel the art is lacking is the background. At times, a flat color makes the page feel like a filler and would look better if it had more "life" added to it. Adrian's style over the past two issues has improved. Working on commission helps challenge his work and in turn, improves his overall product. Check out the cover art to IMAKEMADBEATS cover:

Writing:

Steve has a very unorthodox way of approaching a script. During an interview, Steve mentions that he doesn't work within a script format, but rather a novella-like format. All through the last three issues, there have been times where the pages are covered with narration. In comic books, its way easier to show and not tell because we can actually SEE what is happening. What is interesting though, is that the narration allows us to know what is happening internally with the characters. This helps the artist to not have to display everything.

In this case, Steve's format works well for the comic book and fills a gap that can't be filled with just images. Take, for example, when Born 5th was taking over the body of a homeless man in issue #1. There wasn't much dialogue but the narration explained to readers the anguish that the man was feeling; something that worked well for this comic book.

Credit: G.B. Vision

Bottom Line.....

The first issue takes a bit of an effort on the reader's part. The art wasn't as strong and the narration (writing) and was a bit of a distraction at times. I felt it took the reader away from the action. As issue #2 rolled out it began to get a better balance. By this issue, #3, the reader is rewarded with a nearly flawless comic book from two unorthodox comic book creators.

Stick with the first two issues and you will be rewarded with great art, fun narration and some great hip-hop references. Gift Revolver is unlike any other comic book out there today. It is a great hybrid of two cult-followed mediums that continues to improve with every issue.

Unique

The Gutierrez Brothers have created a wonderful book here. This book is very unique and the last three issues scratch the surface of the possibility of where they can take this book. This will satisfy readers of horror comic books and admirers of Hip-Hop.